[Am-info] Findings of Fact - conclusion

[John Poltorak]

The following is the concluding paragraph come from the Findings of Fact 
brought out after the trial of alleged antitrust violations by 
Microsoft were confirmed to have taken place:-


Most harmful of all is the message that Microsoft's actions have
conveyed to every enterprise with the potential to innovate in the
computer industry. Through its conduct toward Netscape, IBM, Compaq,
Intel, and others, Microsoft has demonstrated that it will use its
prodigious market power and immense profits to harm any firm that
insists on pursuing initiatives that could intensify competition
against one of Microsoft's core products. Microsoft's past success in
hurting such companies and stifling innovation deters investment in
technologies and businesses that exhibit the potential to threaten
Microsoft. The ultimate result is that some innovations that would
truly benefit consumers never occur for the sole reason that they do
not coincide with Microsoft's self-interest.


We are almost three years on from this point, and yet the paragraph above 
is even more poignant now than it was then. 

One wonders what the whole point of the exercise was...

I have little expectation that the dissenting states will get anywhere 
either.

-- 
John